Yeah, hardware cloth could definitely help slow them down. I've seen a few setups where people wrapped pipes first with mesh, then insulation over that. Seems to discourage rodents pretty well, though determined ones might still chew through eventually. Another thing I've found useful is sealing up any tiny cracks or entry points around crawlspace vents with expanding foam or caulk—makes a big difference in cutting down unwanted visitors...
Hardware cloth helps, but I've had stubborn mice chew right through foam and mesh combo. Ended up using steel wool stuffed into gaps before sealing—seems rodents hate chewing through metal fibers. Haven't had issues since...
Steel wool definitely does the trick. Had a similar issue last winter—mice chewed right through expanding foam around the basement pipes. I stuffed steel wool into the gaps and sealed it up with silicone caulk. Worked like a charm. One thing though, make sure you wear gloves when handling steel wool... learned that the hard way, those tiny fibers can really irritate your skin.
Steel wool's been my go-to as well, especially since it's cheap and easy to find. Another tip—if you're sealing around pipes that get hot, make sure the silicone caulk you use is heat-resistant. Learned that after regular caulk cracked from the heat... had to redo the whole thing. Gloves are definitely a must though, those fibers are sneaky little things.
I've used steel wool too, but honestly, I've switched mostly to copper mesh lately. It's a bit pricier, but I feel safer with it since steel wool can rust over time—especially if there's even a tiny leak or condensation. Learned that the hard way when I found rusty stains under my sink...not fun.
Totally agree on the heat-resistant silicone though. Regular caulk just doesn't cut it around hot pipes. Another thing I do now is wrap a bit of heat-resistant tape around the pipe first, then seal around that with silicone. Probably overkill, but hey, better safe than sorry, right?
And yeah, gloves are a lifesaver. Those little fibers get everywhere and they're itchy as heck if you don't protect your hands.
